BUILDING A BETTER WORLD
A Pope of Charity, Unity and Fraternity The faithful, charitable witness of Pope Francis highlights the timeless importance of the Knights’ founding principles by Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson JUST DAYS AGO, I stood in St. man and a man who will lead the Peter’s Square in Rome as the new Church forward in its mission of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, was intro- new evangelization. As his greeting duced. As the pope came out onto the to the world made so clear, there is balcony to address Rome and the much in common with the core prinworld for the first time, he said: “And ciples of our Order and those of our now let us begin this journey, [to- Holy Father. And in many ways, we gether] as bishop and people. This share a very similar history with him. journey of the Church of Rome, His roots, like the Knights, are in which is to preside over all the the Americas. And as more than one Churches in charity, is a journey of person has remarked to me, Pope fraternity, of love, of trust between us. Francis is the son of European immiLet us always pray for one another. Let us pray for the world, so that a We have in Pope Francis a great brotherhood may be created.” holy man, a dedicated man When I heard those and a man who will lead the words, I felt the way our first supreme knight, Church forward in its mission James T. Mullen, must have felt 131 years ago of the new evangelization. when he heard Father Michael J. McGivney speak of our Order’s call to charity, grants in the New World, just as Faunity and fraternity. The pope’s ad- ther McGivney was. What’s more, dress was a clear call to these virtues, Pope Francis — like Father Mcwhich are the fundamental principles Givney and generations of Knights of our Order. after him — is well known for his How inspiring for us to have those personal work with the poor and principles highlighted and reinvigo- those most in need. rated by Pope Francis’ call for charity, Even his choice of name — Francis love, trust, fraternity and brother- — evokes not just St. Francis of Ashood — and how clearly his words sisi’s charity, but also the words the highlight the timeless relevance of our Lord spoke to that humble saint: Order 131 years after its establish- “Rebuild my Church.” It is a stirring ment by Venerable Father McGivney! reminder of the need to continue our The pope’s election was a joyful work of the new evangelization, of moment for the Knights of Colum- rebuilding the Church through bus and the Church. We have in prayer and living out faith through Pope Francis a holy man, a dedicated charity.
St. Francis’ life, like that of our new Holy Father, was a daily witness to love of God and neighbor — and ours must be too. Our principles are just words if we do not live them out. In his first homily as our Holy Father, Pope Francis said, “If we do not profess Jesus Christ, things go wrong. We may become a charitable NGO, but not the Church, the Bride of the Lord. When we are not walking, we stop moving. When we are not building on the stones, what happens? The same thing that happens to children on the beach when they build sandcastles: everything is swept away, there is no solidity.” So as we celebrate Pope Francis’ election and the recent 131st anniversary of our Order’s founding, let us all as Knights redouble our efforts as men of faith — and men of action based on that faith. Let us also pray for our Holy Father as he requested the evening of his election, and let us work even harder for those who need the most help in our society. Let us invite the men of our councils to become even more active in service to their neighbors. In short, let us take the call of both Father McGivney and Pope Francis to heart and live out charity to our neighbor, in unity with our Church and our Holy Father, and in the spirit of fraternity. Vivat Jesus!
APRIL 2013
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